


Alleyway Downpour

by StroopwafelDetective



Series: Newsies Tumblr Requests [1]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Arguing, Canon Era, Cigarettes, First Kiss, M/M, Not Beta Read, POV Jack Kelly, POV Third Person, Past Tense, Rain, Swearing, Underage Smoking, Wordcount: 500-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:48:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29515566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StroopwafelDetective/pseuds/StroopwafelDetective
Summary: Jack attempts to convince Race to abandon the strike.Things do not quite go according to plan.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━▷ A tumblr request ◁
Relationships: Racetrack Higgins/Jack Kelly
Series: Newsies Tumblr Requests [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2170872
Kudos: 3





	Alleyway Downpour

"Race, wait up damn it!"

"I don’t want to be seen with no scab!" Race yelled- quickening his pace and bolting into the nearest alleyway, determined to throw Jack off and outdistance him.

Fortunately for Jack, he was right on the boy’s heels- almost close enough to reach out to his shoulder and pull him back. When he finally felt the rain-soaked fabric of his shirt, he did just that. "Stop with the madcap promenade, would ya?” he hissed. “I thought at least _you_ would understand."

Racetrack turned around, bitterly shrugging off Jack’s hand. “Oh, I understand. You had to choose between the newsies- your _fellas_ or yourself.”

“That’s not-”

“Congrats, Jack. You’re a selfish bastard. What’s new?”

"It's dangerous for them kids out there! You know that, you experienced it first hand. So don’t you dare call me-” A deep breath. Jack needed to _breathe_. He closed his eyes- then slumped back against the brick wall. “Didn’t do it for me-self, alright?”

Race let out a sarcastic laugh. “Yeah?” Funny, ‘cause I might’ve believed ya if your pockets weren’t padded with Pulitzer’s cash.”

A wave of guilt hit Jack, and it hit him hard. He had to ground himself, he realized. He took a deep breath and licked his lips before speaking again. “What are we supposed to do then, huh? Starve?”

“At least we’d starve _together_.”

Jack simply scoffed. “Listen, I applaud your dedication and all that, but it’s a lost cause.”

Race didn’t respond, causing an uncomfortable silence to fall. He almost looked defeated, but Jack knew better than to underestimate his stubborn nature.

It was something Jack admired about him- but it also made him wonder how many days in the Refuge it would take to wipe it away, like it never had been there. He would survive longer than Jack ever would, that was for sure. Pulitzer could crush Jack in seconds if he desired to.

_...He pretty much already did._

If the same way were to happen to Race, he would never forgive himself. He had to convince him to accept the disbandment of the union. He had to. “I know things will be hard for the fellas- but it would be safer than tearin’ up papes, bangin’ pots together and hoping for the best.”

Race shook his head, more out of disbelief than disagreement. "I used to think you were some kinda hero. Pathetic, ain’t it? ‘Cause you ain’t no hero, you never was. If anything, you were a fucking waste of time, and so was your wonderful idea to strike.” He was smiling at this point. It wasn’t the happy one, that Jack adored so much. “But guess what? We started it, and we will finish it, with or without ya.”

_Shit._

Jack Kelly didn’t want to care about anybody. Wanted to be able to run away and leave New York in the dust without feeling a damn thing.  
“It’s gonna have to be without me.”

-“You’re a coward.”

-“I’m a coward?”

Race made a confirming noise, but he looked somewhat uncertain. “Yeah. That’s what I said. Coward. See? Said it twice now.”

“Fair enough.”

Higgins raised his eyebrows. “Didn’t expect ya to agree with that one.”

Jack laughed a little. The hostility between them had somewhat faded, he realized. “Yeah, you may be right.” he said as he carefully reached out to his friend’s cheek. Race made no effort to dodge his touch. Jack’s fingertips ghosted over the bruise that had formed around his eye socket. Blotches of yellows, blues and purples, the colors blending into each other like some kind of morbid sunset.

Jack absolutely despised the sight of it.

“I don’t want something like that to ever happen again. Thought I was ready for the consequences but when it came down to you bein’ hurt, I realized I wasn’t. So yes, I’m hopin’ to cancel what I started- and if that makes me a coward, then sure. I’ll take it.”

Race’s mouth fell a little bit open, his cigar falling from his lips to the mud below. “Oh.” he breathed sheepishly.

“Race, if the strike continues-.”

-“I know.”

-“They could lock you up.”

“I know. I ain’t stupid. Stupidly determined, maybe.” with a teasing tone, Race continued. “What are you gonna do about it? Punch me? Kiss me? By all means, go ahead.”

Jack didn’t know what possessed him when he grabbed Race’s face and slammed their lips together. It was impulsive- it was something he might regret. Shit, how was he supposed to explain this?

The answer was simple. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t be able to. There was no proper excuse or explanation that could set this mess of a situation straight.

But then Race kissed him back. Careful, at first. Jack didn’t know exactly when the way they moved their lips had turned into something sloppy and desperate. God, it felt so damn wrong and right at the same time. Race tasted like tobacco and... Whatever other shit he smoked that day.

Jack didn’t mind.

He didn’t mind at all.


End file.
